SD Chief Justice To Discuss Drug, Alcohol Courts

South Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice David Gilbertson will talk about alternative sentences for criminal offenders in his annual speech to the state Legislature.

In his State of the Judiciary speech on Wednesday, Gilbertson will talk about the judicial system's role in a wide-ranging proposal to cut prison costs by treating more nonviolent offenders outside prison walls.

Gilbertson has said he will talk about courts that keep offenders with drug or alcohol addictions out of prison as long as they complete intensive treatment programs.

Gilbertson was appointed to the South Dakota Supreme Court in 1995 and has been chief justice since 2001.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:A misspelling was corrected in this story.